Star Wars: The Force Awakens Review: Chewie, We’re Home

This is a spoiler free review of Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

Let’s get this out of the way right up top. I loved The Force Awakens. If you’re surprised well, clearly this is the first time you’ve visited my blog and in that case welcome! There are a few universal truths you need to know. The sky’s blue, Cena wins and I love Star Wars.

I’m getting emotional just looking at the poster

It’s gonna be hard for me to be objective in this review. There was a lot of hype going surrounding this movie. Star Wars means a lot to a lot of people, and when Disney acquired the license with the intent to produce more films there was a tremor in the Force. Yes, that was a Star Wars pun. You knew what this was when you signed on.

Add on Disney’s decision to axe the old lore that had been expanded on through comics, books and games and fans felt uneasy. This movie needed to be flawless, if for no other reason than to wash the taste of Jar Jar out of our mouth, and boy did J.J deliver.

Bravo sir. Bravo

The Force Awakens felt familiar in the best possible way. Seeing that opening crawl, I felt the same sense of wonder I felt when I was eight, wrapped in a blanket in front of the TV. It was nostalgic, but not in a pandering way. J.J wasn’t banking on cheap nostalgia just to score points with the fan base, he drew on the elements that made the original films so memorable while setting the stage for a new cast to take light.

Without delving too much into specifics, The Force Awakens is a brilliant introduction to this new universe, 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi. Characters are given just enough complexity and mystery to draw us in, without force feeding the viewer heavy exposition. It all flows, feeling natural as you watch these people deal with the events as they transpire.

The acting in TFA was spectacular. Everyone brought their A-Game. The biggest concern was Harrison Ford reprising the role of Han Solo. In the Original Trilogy Han arguably had the best character arc, going from a smuggler only in it for the money to the most loveable rogue to ever grace the silver screen. The fear was, would this new movie be a regression for the character?

To answer that, no. Han has evolved. The charm is still there. The heart. This is a Han whose lived 30 years. He’s grown, and it really tugs at the heart to see just how far the character’s grown.

I’m gonna get emotional again.

 

Daisy Ridley and John Boyega were fantastic leads, able to play off each other and deliver very strong performances. Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren is more than just Vader 2.0, there’s depth to him just like the rest of the cast. I eagerly await the next instillation. I yearn to see where these characters will go from here.

There was also a lot of humor in TFA, and it was not unwelcome. Normally when one thinks of humor in Star Wars the best example that can be provided is Jar Jar’s antics in The Phantom Menace and that’s…just not humor. Here, the jokes are quick and funny, adding a lot of character to the film over all.

The Force Awakens is not perfect movie. None of the Star Wars movies are, not even Empire Strikes Back and that’s the best movie ever made. There are elements drawn from other Star Wars movies, and in some cases it’s noticeable. Also, some of the big name talent feels a little wasted, but that may be because they have bigger roles later on. It is the start to a new trilogy, and we don’t know what where these characters will end up. At it’s core, The Force Awakens is everything I wanted. This movie felt like coming home after being away for a long time. Some of the furniture’s moved. Things aren’t as the quite were. But it is familiar and warm. It is an excellent followup to my favorite story every told and I highly encourage you to see it.

 

Best vs. Favorite

As we draw closer to the imminent release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens (eight days at time of writing) and, to a less important extent, the end of the year, many a film buff are preparing to make their list of best and worst movies of the year and this got me to thinking: What is the difference between the terms “Best” and “favorite”. One would think there is none, right? I mean if Mad Max: Fury Road was your favorite film this year, one would think you would also classify it as the best movie that came out this year. But that’s not necessarily the case.

My favorite movie is Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. I still remember the first time I saw it way back when I was eight, how distraught I was at the revelation of Vader being Luke’s father, how heartbroken I was by the ending. Star Wars laid the foundation for how I understood morality and is the reason why I’m studying film now. I want to tell stories that affect others the way that Empire affected me.

But I don’t think Empire is the best film ever made.

I know, I’m shocked too

It’s a phenomenal film, of that there is no question. But to compare it something like The Godfather or Pulp Fiction, Empire’s gonna come up short. I recognize that although my it is my personal favorite movies, there are better movies out there. To me, favorite and best are two separate debates. This year’s best movie to me will probably be something like Spotlight, Creed or Trumbo.

But we all know my favorite is gonna be.

It’s a phenomenal film, of that there is no question. But to compare it something like The Godfather or Pulp Fiction, Empire’s gonna come up short. I recognize that although my it is my personal favorite movies, there are better movies out there. To me, favorite and best are two separate debates. This year’s best movie to me will probably be something like Spotlight, Creed or Trumbo.

But we all know my favorite is gonna be.

 

Nice try guys

I make my choice for “Best” film based on more than just personal enjoyment. I judge best on things like strength of the writing, cinematography, how well it’s edited, how well it’s directed. Etc. I’m a film major. It’s basically required that I over analyze every scene. But my favorite movies are immune from my critical eye. In essence, Force Awakens is getting a free pass because we don’t judge the things we love.

I will always love this dumb movie

I make this distinction because I don’t like the term “guilty pleasure.” No one should feel guilty for liking something, not even Transformers: Age of Extinction. I just make a distinction between my personal taste and a more objective distinction. I say “more objective” because reviews always carry some form of personal opinion.

You can like something, and not have it be the best in its category. There’s no shame in that. Be bold in likening the things you like.

Just as long as that thing isn’t the Phantom Menace